Second Chances
by Taden G. Norrans
Summary: The adventures of DWMA students continue in this exciting and action filled continuation of the soul eater universe. Featuring new OC's and exciting conflicts with the witches, keshins, and all new threats. Intriguing back stories and twists and turns in every chapter. Updates often so come check it out. My first soul eater Fic so please read and review :)
1. Of New Beginnings

**Hi everyone and thanks so much for reading. I know i may have promised this to be out on saturday or sunday to some of you but I just couldn't swing it. So do whatever you have to do, shoot me, string me up by my toes but i hope you still enjoy that story. Reviews on any and all aspects of the story are greatly appreciated. I do not own the Soul Eater franchise. Last note, I am still accepting OC's for later use in this story. Hero's, villains, miesters, weapons, whatever. My standard form for submitting an OC can be found here. **Soul Eater OC** . FYI **_italics_** are thoughts not spoken aloud in case anyone was unfamiliar with that.**

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The sun laughed heartily in the sky as it beamed brightly down upon the Death Weapon Miester Academe

"Haahaahaahaahaahaahaahaa…"

A large crowd shifted in the bright sun rays that showered down on the main courtyard. It was orientation day. A chance for those weapons and miesters who had not yet paired up to do so, or be assigned a partner if need be. Small circles formed within the crowd around those who had agreed to fight to establish compatibility, or in some cases to determine pecking order and size others up, as often was the case. The teachers and faculty members oversaw the fights as usual.

Orientation day was always hectic.

A dark figure stood on a balcony high above the courtyard. The white mask covering his faced gleamed in the afternoon sun. A suited man with long red hair approached.

"Salutations, Lord Death" Spirit spoke cordially. Lord Death nodded slightly but continued to stare out across the academe and surrounding city. "Nice day for orientation? Not like a years ago when it rained." Lord Death nodded again. Spirit pursed his lips tight, "You're talkative today."

Lord Death did not nod.

The crowd shifted, circled and contorted as people moved away from those who had begun to spar. There was a small flash from a weapon who had just used their ability during a fight.

Two figures stood on opposite sides of a large column, hidden from the sun and barely visible from the courtyard. They stood there motionless and silent as they had since orientation had started 45 minutes ago.

The crisp sound of hard steel bottom shoes on stone echoed loudly down the hall behind the two and a small red ember smoldered softly.

"Shouldn't you two be out there?" a gruff voice asked. They both turned to see him. The cigarette tip hardly illuminated his circular glasses and facial scars.

"Yeah yeah yeah" said a female voice.

"You'll need to get out there if you want to get a new partner and stay in the DWMA."

"You know both of us can see their souls from here."

"Soul size isn't all there is to a partner. There's martial skill, determination, personality, compatibility." Stein stated harshly.

"Maybe, but it doesn't hurt either" the girl retorted snidely. She paused for a moment and then looked back at the professor. "Fine" She said exasperatedly. "I'll go '_mingle'" _she air quoted as she walked off. "I'm sure he's seen enough to start making a decision, why don't you get on his case?" she said over her shoulder as she walked into the light of the courtyard. The two figures still in the shadows exchanged lookes and the taller of the two leaned off the wall with a sigh and walked in the same direction as the girl.

The heat from the desert sun beat down hard on him as he entered the courtyard. He strode along wearing a black leather jacket with two blue stripes on the bicep just below the shoulder and a dark blue undershirt, with two black belts X'ing his chest. He also wore black jeans and military boots and a deep blue military cap with sunglasses resting on the brim. He could see the girl from before further into the crowd already, she was in blue cutoff short shorts and a baggy AE pink sweatshirt and white canvas top vans. Her curly dark brown hair was worn down to her mid back and almost covered the left side of her face. Considerably more murmuring and chatter had started among the future students closer to the two.

"That's Landen 'The Carnage' Soul" said one boy among a small group.

"She's Era 'The Crimson Slaughter' Maxwell" one girl said to another.

They both wore a silver pin, Landen's a 'W' and Era's an 'M' and under each three silver stars. Era wore hers on her shorts and Landen's on his hat.

"So that's a three star miester?" a boy said a little louder than he meant and Era turned to silently glare at him.

"I heard she has some amazing unique soul wavelength technique" another student whispered to his new partner behind Era's back.

"Care to find out?" she asked in a threatening tone that froze the two whispering in place.

As Landen walked he handed out the occasional blank blue pieces of paper. When he reached the other side of the crowd he shouted above all the noise. "If I handed you a blue card, I invite you to come spar with me." He spoke in a commanding voice and people around him had moved back to allow a large sparring area. Era had continued bustling through the crowd and paid him no mind.

A tall blonde boy stepped forward into the circular area. A few students around the circle watched with excitement. He held up a blue piece of paper. "Jamison's the name, kicking ass is the game." He sneered. "Well come on, let's do it and get this fight over with. I got a date in victory circle in a few minutes"

Landen took a solid stance but said nothing. Jamison smiled and brought his fists up, threw a few jabs at the air then shook it off and brought his fists up again. Jamison charged forward and threw a powerful right hook but Landen had already dropped to one knee and threw his left elbow hard into Jamison's gut, just below his solar plexus. He fell with a thud behind Landen, out cold. _Not enough martial skill _Landen thought to himself.

"Next" Landen proclaimed loudly.

A redheaded girl stepped forward next, blue card held between two fingers. Landen nodded to her. She made an exposition in moving her arms and body in a flowing Tia Chi style before coming to battle ready position. "Why can't I see your soul?" she asked.

"A special technique I developed here at the DWMA" She nodded. He advanced forward and began throwing slow speed strikes and watched as she worked to block and counter them. Then he began to speed up, but as he did she began to distance herself. As his movements got faster she retreated faster and faster until he stepped forward trapping her foot under his and shouldering her and knocking her solidly on her ass. _Hold your ground. _Landen frowned and turned away.

More fighters approached, presenting their cards. Each failed to satisfy as a partner.

A medium height girl with short black hair and a traditional Japanese school outfit stepped up next. "Mokeko." she said, rather fiercely bringing her hands together and bowing.

"Landen Soul" he replied in a calmer regard and mimed her gesture. She swayed back and struck a battle ready pose. Then without waiting, initiated the fight with fast strikes and kicks.

Landen sparred with her in very metered way. Analyzing and noting every movement.

He allowed a spinning back hand close by his face and felt a familiar faint electric tingle. _She's trying to hit me with her soul wavelength._ As she continued to spin he gave a hard open handed shove to her back, pushing her a good distance away.

She glared at him and lightly shook it off, then charged head on. She lunged at him, throwing a fake high superman punch. Landen saw this facade but brought his hands up to guard anyways. The punch bounced off lightly, while a more powerful and wavelength filled shot landed squarely in his abdomen. A perfect hit.

But it seemed to have absolutely no effect. Mokeko looked up at him, visibly shattered "How?" she managed to squeak out, her fist still resting on his stomach.

"When I pushed you. It was enough full contact to read your soul wavelength and control my own to copy it. Your wavelength passed through me unharmed cause it was the exact same as yours. That's also why I needn't worry about matching soul wavelengths with any of these potential partners."

Mokeko sunk down to her knees and hung her head in what appeared to be disgust. Then, after a moment she rose to her feet and quietly disappeared into the crowd.

Landen sighed, _No commitment._

More and more blue card fighters approached but each seemed to hold some crucial flaw for Landen.

"Were there anymore?" he asked aloud. The people in the area around him were silent.

Then a girl stepped forward. A tall golden blonde with wavy hair to he shoulder blades, fair skin and pink full lips. She was slim but lean with an ample bosom. She wore a skin tight purple tank top and black jeans that hugged her legs tight as well. Black shoes with purple laces and black boxers tape on her left hand and purple tape on her right.

"Me, Delmira Blasa."

"I don't remember giving you a card"

"You didn't" she replied smugly and smiled at him. Landen looked off to the side and seemed to be mulling it over. He spoke up.

"What does your name mean?"

She looked back, a little stunned. _Of all the things to ask someone who just pushed their way uninvited to your little testing deal. How odd. _"Blasa is German for firebrand. Firebrand means a passionate person or someone of radical action."

"Hmmmmmm, well then," he smiled "let's see if it's true." Before he prepared to spar he took a closer look at her soul. It was bigger than he expected and larger than most in the crowd.

She brought her fists up close to her face and approached him. Within 5 feet she held out her right fist and he bumped it with his own. _Hmmmm boxing style _Landen though. After dancing around a bit she let loose a wild round house kick. Landen easily ducked under it. _She's clever, feigning one fighting style then attacking with a dramatically different one to throw the opponent off balance. Attacking rather poorly, but still clever._ Landen continued to duck and weave around her under skilled strikes. He dodged another lazy punch, rolling his eyes back as he did.

"Getting bored?" Delmira asked in an annoyed tone while still throwing a fury of punches and kicks.

"Expecting more" he said as his hand shot out to grab her ankle as another high and wide kick came in, stopping her momentum.

She panted lightly "Maybe I'm just holding back like you are."

"Hopefully" he said with a sneer and locking his dark blue eyes with her deep purple ones.

"There's more to fighting than just kicking and punching" she sneered back, breaking away from his hold and regaining her footing.

"I agree" he lunged towards her, testing her response to aggression. She quickly ran at him, throwing her hands forward and trying to gain a grappling position. A sudden hand deflection from Landen and a kick to the calf turn her momentum against her. She landed hard at the other end of the circle. Delmira got up and dusted herself off. Then leaped at him again, but met with the same results. And again. And again.

Down on one knee, her leg muscles tensed ready to leap again. Landen held his palm up to her. "You can't touch me, you can't trick me, you can't over power me, and even if you could, you can't grab me. So what's your plan?"

She glared up at him, still breathing heavy, frenzy in her eyes, then sprang off her feet and at him once again, fist cocked back and ready to strike. "I don't know." She cried out.

A quick side step avoided her attack and an elbow thrown back in instinct makes contact with the back of her head and caused her to fall flat on the ground. _Hmmm, I wonder if that was too rough for her._ Landen looked down at her motionless body. _But why should I be concerned for this random miester?_

"You'll pay for that" She mumbled, her face still in the ground. Her hands spread out and push herself up. She manages to come up to a very shaky standing position, fists held just below her chin.

A smirk finally replaces the disappointed scowl that had occupied is face all day. He approached her, as he did she tensed up, but he slowly reached out and grabbed her fist. _Softer than I expected _he thought _although not much about this miester had been what I expected. _He took her fist and held it high above her head. The surrounding crowd clapped and even a few 1 and 2 star teams who had come to observe from the balconies voiced their approval. Landen clasped her hand in his and brought it down in an arm wrestle style handshake and looked into her eyes.

"Partners?" he asked with a grin.

"Partners" she replied firmly. They pulled each other closer and touched at the forehead. Both smiled, their eyes gleaming.

Delmira brought her head back then suddenly thrust it forward into Landen's. A soft thud as their skulls collided. The crowd went into a stunned silence and Landen reeled back in pain. Then managed to shake it off and look back at her again.

"Told you I'd get you back for that" she sneered.

Landen looked shocked for a moment and then began to smile. "So much for revenge being served cold"

"Haha nope, best served boiling hot and in large quantities" she smiled back. They both began to laugh uncontrollably. The surrounding crowd seemed to nervously laugh it off then dissipate sensing that the excitement was now over.

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**Well there's the first chapter for ya. I really hope you enjoyed it and really look forward to any reviews. There will be a follow up chapter to this one and then more OC's of my own and those submitted by others will start getting introduced. And i know you'll really enjoy the next chapter. I sure did. So stick around. I plan on finishing and releasing it July 23rd or 24th. So get to reviewing and sending those OC's in. Till next time. :)**

**- T**


	2. An Explosive Finish

**Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the support so far. Fun fact; I do not actually own soul eater. huh, who coulda guessed right? Thanks so much for everyone's OC's and it is still not to late to submit if you haven't yet or if you wanted to submit more ideas. OC form can be found as a story on my profile. I'd like to also state for those wondering that this world isn't strictly based off the manga or the anime. Little of both actually, but i'll try to make everything clear as the story goes. Lastly shout outs time. Props to Ellie Goulding Pandora station for getting me through converting this from written to type, quite the task with my bad hand writing. This chapter dedicated to my german shepard Ellie for bugging the crap out of me while writing it and making it harder then it should have been. And finally to LexiLuvsWriting for the compliment on my fight scenes, it actually inspired me to extend the fight scenes in this chapter a bit. Well, I hope you all enjoy.**

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"Hi Landen!" the bouncy blonde excitedly exclaimed. "Is this the new partner you've chosen?"

"Hello Miss. Mjolnir" Landen replied with barely a sliver of the excitement she showed. "And yes"

"Oh for Deaths sake, stop calling me by my last name Landen" – _And stop making that title so obvious*, don't you think I know I haven't been married. YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMIND ME EVERY TIME, _her mind screamed as she held a pleasant smile on her face.

"Sorry Miss. Mjolnir."

Marie's eye twitched hard. She shook of the thought and addressed Delmira "Nice to meet you, I'm Marie, one of your teachers."

"She's also a Death Scythe level demon weapon and former commander of the DWMA's Oceania branch." Landen added.

"Yes, that's true." Marie smiled even more.

"Well I'm Delmira Blasa, good to meet you" she said with a warm grin.

"Miss Mjolnir, could we get two drinks please?" Landen asked.

Marie who had been behind the snack and drink table suddenly seemed to remember her appointed position today and also the long line of perturbed miesters and weapons behind Landen and Delmira. She hurriedly grabbed two brightly colored sports drinks and handed them off to the pair. They smiled, thanked her, and walked off.

"See you in class Delmira, You too Landen." The two waved lazily over their shoulders as they walked away.

Their stroll took them along the outer side of the crowd and came to rest at the steps leading up to a large fountain where a few other teams had gathered to simply relax and take in the marvelous city. Delmira sat on the steps, her back to the fountain while Landen squatted in front of her a few steps down, putting them at each other's eye level.

"How is your head?" he asked with genuine concern.

"Oh it's fine" she said, smiling back "Uhhhh, do you prefer Landen?"

"Good, uh, yes. And, uh, what do you prefer?"

"Haha, oh I don't mind, M, Mira, any nickname, just not Del."

"Hmmm" Landen seemed to be mulling it over.

"So what's your story? How did you come to be a 3 star weapon here at the DWMA?"

"Oh" Landen seemed very surprised at this question, although, he figure, it was pretty standard. "I-I, well I was orphaned after my parents died in a house fire."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"No, that's alright. I was young when it happened. I barely remember them." He stared off for a moment "I had a really bad foster family I stayed with, then I finally got away with the help of my weapon ability, it wasn't long till I was on the DWMA's radar. They took me in, gave me a home, a job . . . a family again." He sniffed and wiped under his nose. A nervous tick Delmira figured. "Anyways, I've trained with the DWMA ever since, that was 7 years ago. While I've trained with the teachers here since then, I only took on a partner last year and actually enrolled as a student. Gosh, I'm sorry, I'm just going on and on-"

"Oh, I don't mind" Delmira interrupted with a smile and a tilt of her head. Landen smiled back.

"What about you? What's your story?" Delmira gazed back at him, seemingly stunned and making small movements with her mouth as if trying to find the words "Oh, I'm sorry, I mean only if you wanna talk about it." Delmira averted her eyes a bit and gave her head a soft shake. "Sorry"

"No problem, I just-uh-I"

"No need to explain" he said with a reassuring smile. After a moment she spoke up again.

"I-uh-I heard its common for teams to share living quarters?"

"Yeah, I have a room prepared for you at my apartment a few blocks from the school"

"Ah great, should we head there now?" She had already risen to her feet, holding the empty bottle loosely in her hand.

"Sure" Landen said, rising as well "But first . . . " he stood up straight, holding eye contact with her. His voice deepened and now held a harsh edge "I'll only ask this once and I expect an honest answer that I can rely on. I think you at least owe me that" She nodded. His eye widened and her soul came into clear focus, it held a jumpy and anxious quality to it.

"That sound reasonable"

His deep blue eyes bored hard into hers and her soul quivered. "Can I trust you?" he spoke softly and precisely. She let out a long breath and he could see her soul settle.

"Yes, but first you shou-"

"Hey fresh meat!" a harsh voice rang out. Landen's eyes closed in annoyance as two sets of footsteps headed their way. Landen turned to see Era and a boy, presumably her new weapon partner. He had light skin and sand colored hair and wore khakis and a white button up collared shirt. "So this is the one you picked?" Era spat out as she strode up to them, condescension heavy in her voice. "She doesn't look like much."

"Hello Era" Landen addressed her as she stood shoulder to shoulder with her new weapon. "Delmira, this is Era Maxwell, my former partner." Delmira's eyes widened and looked Era up and down.

"James, Landen. Landen, James" Era quickly introduced with a sarcastic undertone. "So newbie, how about a little sparring. See what you're made of?"

"Era stop" Landen said, slightly irritated now.

"What, I just wanna get to know her. And what better way? James said he wants to face you. It'll be fun." She smiled slyly "A little miester versus miester, weapon versus weapon."

"No Era."

"Ah, geez ya whiney-"

"I'll fight you" Delmira piped up.

"Delmira we don't have a faculty officiator" Landen tried to reason.

"Oh we don't need one" Era chimed in "Besides, since when were you ever one to play by the rules Landen?"

"I want to" Delmira said, stretching her arms from side to side.

"Haha, that's the spirit. You and James go play" Era waved her hand in a shoeing motion. Landen took note that James had rolled up his sleeves and brought his hands to his face. Era and Delmira had begun circling each other a few paces away. Landen's attention stay on the two girls. Delmira seemed to be more focused then when they had sparred. _At least she knows this is more serious._ Landen heard the air whoosh and quickly ducked and spun backwards as something whizzed past where his head had been. His eyes fell instantly on James, but also noticed that the new teams around them had stopped what they were doing to watch this new development. A wide piece of tan fabric zipped back to where James' left arm had been.

"As you may have noticed, my weapon form is a ribbon" James spoke cockily. "Doesn't sound that impressive, I know but . . ." His other arm flashed and transformed like his left. Next he racked them against the ground like whips, throwing up large dust clouds and leaving long gashes in the hard cobble stone. "hehe" he sneered and laughed confidently. Landen could see from the corner of his eye that Era and Delmira had also begun fighting and could hear Delmira breath sharply every time she took a blow.

James' ribbons suddenly shot from his arms towards Landen but were dodged easily. The ribbons swayed back behind James and wrapped around two small statues on the fountain. They were ripped from their place and flung through the air, narrowly missing a few bystanders. Landen ducked the first one then threw a boot up which pulverized the second, sending dust all around him. James eagerly shot and retracted his ribbons multiple times blindly into the dust cloud that hid Landen. Eagerly reeling them back, he didn't notice the extra weight until it was too late. Landen, holding the ribbons, rode the momentum of them in and jettisoned straight at James. Throwing himself shoulder first into his center of gravity. James was hurled back crashing hard into one of the stone pillars supporting a balcony of the school. Then slumped forward, unconscious.

Landen turned his attention back to the miesters fighting. Delmira was reeling back from a hard drop kick to the chest, bringing her down to one knee. Scuffs covered her face and a line of blood was rolling down from the side of her mouth. Era didn't hesitated before sprinting towards her and throwing a leaping knee towards her face. Delmira dropped flat on her back, scarcely sliding under Era's attack. She quickly jumped back to her feet and distanced herself from Era. The two edged closer towards each other again and were soon exchanging blows. Delmira viciously, throwing multiple jabs only to be deflected and countered with hard hooks across the cheek. Back and forth they went, Delmira failing to get a hit in edge wise. A sudden leg sweep dropped Delmira on her side. Rolling away she missed three consecutive stomps and pushed as she rolled to bring her back on her feet. A fierce upper cut made contact, summer salting her back. Surprisingly she manages to plant her hands as she fell back and brought her feet up, which snapped Era's head back as they connected with her chin. Delmira continued her flip and landed square on her feet. Era stood still, head still tilted back, then slowly brought it forward, anger burning in her eyes. The two girls dashed towards each other, as they met Era quickly twisted her body hard, bringing her leg up and intending to finish the fight. But Delmira saw the signs in time, leaned back and began to twist her body as well. Era's kick sailed over Delmira's nearly horizontal body and as she continued her kick rotation to return to neutral stance Delmira brought her whole body around with a round house kick landing square on Era's chest. Era doubled over and slide back a good length along the ground. On her knees and clearly stunned, Delmira seized the opportunity to end the fight and sprinted straight towards her, jumping a few feet before and plunging both her knees towards Era's chest.

**BLAM!**

Era's hands shot out and caught Delmira's knees and held her midair for a moment as the surprise and disbelief flashed across her face. Then Era slammed her down to the ground, driving her knees and shins hard into the stone floor. Delmira gasped in pain. With her hands still on her knees and lower thighs Era used her soul wavelength technique, weaving her wavelengths among the muscles in Delmira's thighs, then altered her wavelength so it repelled itself. Delmira shrieked in agony as the muscles in her upper legs and even the clothes on her legs began to rip, pushing away from itself.

"ENOUGH!" Landen roared. Era stopped and stood up, as she did she grabbed Delmira by the neck and pulled her up with her. Delmira's legs dangled just off the ground. "I said that's enough Era!"

"I'm not sure it is Landen. She'll have to face worse than me after all. Maybe I should just end her now before she gets someone hurt." Era smiled as she lifted Delmira higher. Many of the students were watching in disbelief and even Sid and Stien were running from some distance away and yelling for Era to stop. Landen could feel something coming his way behind his back and time seemed to slow to a crawl. In an instant Landen's right arm transformed into a large armored dark blue gauntlet that extended to his shoulder. He spun on his foot, bringing his arm around, poised and ready to strike the approaching threat. At the same time Delmira, brought her own arm back in the exact same motion as Landen. A purple blob dotted with black spots surrounded her fist. James had sling shot himself at Landen, ribbons ready to slice into him. In the same instant Delmira and Landen threw their punches. The ribbons bounced off the metal of Landen's fist as it careened full force into James. As Delmira's fist hit Era a huge explosion erupted from the strange purple substance. James and Era were both sent hurdling back and flying through multiple walls of the school, clouds of dust left in their wake.

The smoke from the explosion cleared and Delmira could be seen, standing shakily, with pants ripped from pocket to knee. Landen stood a few paces away enormous metal arm at his side. He transformed his arm back and walked over to Delmira. She looked at him and then they both looked at the two holes in the walls of the DWMA. "Was that by any chance what you were going to tell me about, firecracker?" a smug smile on hi face.

"Surprise" She said in a calm tone "Nice arm by the way" she added in an almost dazed voice.

"Yeah, you too" he replied in disbelief. Suddenly overwhelmed by the stress of it all, Delmira fainted, falling towards Landen, who caught her, but as he did he could feel her soul change and as he looked deeper, it faded from its soft purple to a deep purple and grew the spiked undeniable trademarks of a witches soul.

Landen stared at her in amazement "Shit."

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*** Miss. - Commonly used as a personal title for a woman, but specifically an unmarried woman, thus is Marie's anger**

**Well, hopefully you enjoyed it, as always please leave a review, it's awesome to hear what people thing. Suggestions are welcome. As for the next chapter, I'm not sure when it'll be out. Depending on my motivation of course but i'd really like to give you guys another chapter within a week so keep an eye you. Till next time.**

**- T**


	3. The First Day

**I want to start out by thanking everyone for their continued support. Knowing that someone else is reading what i write, and enjoying it, it means so much. Shout outs to LexiLuvsWriting, Tawny Haired Wild Flower, Ventus Knight 2, Jackthehedgehog, for reviewing, and to all the other, too many to list ,who continued to send in OC's. So this one was really late. number 1 cause i didn't have it pre-wrote out. Number 2 cause I had some major writers block and the only escape was copious amounts of anime. Death Note, Blue Exorcist, Kill La Kill, Gurren Lagann, and soul eater NOT in the last 7 days or so, but im listing that last one under research purposes since it pertains to the story. Anyways on to the story. This one was gonna be really long but I ended up cutting it short so it might seem a little lacking in the excitement and fighting department. The next chapter will have fight scenes, promise. And I'm also still trying to pepper in back story. Also I do not own soul eater. For that matter I also don't own the rights to Beretta or Skittles either. So there's that 0_0 well, enjoy. and don't forget to review. love to hear everything you think and have to say.**

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Cindy sat outside of Death Bucks by an umbrella shaded table. Chris had insisted on sitting outside since they were both so unaccustomed to the death city heat, but a slight breeze that day was making it manageable. The light skinned Latina girl had her dark hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a green top, matching knee length skirt and white slip-ons. She took a look at her watch, _still 35 minutes till class, we'll be fine_.

"Watch out. Coming through. Hey nice lip hair. Excuse me. Pardon. Hey watch it. Excuse me. Hey you dropped your pocket man. Whoa! Hey, ma'am, that part of me is display only right now, please refrain from touching."

Cindy smiled, Chris was up to his usual tricks, trying to see how many people he could embarrass while going through a crowd. She soon caught sight of her meister as he bustled through the line of death city residents that ran out the door of the small coffee shop. He was tall, white with brown messy spiked hair, and cute, at least she thought so. He wore a green shirt and a red leather fur lined vest over it, blue jeans and black army boots. Chris sat down hastily, handing Cindy her coffee, _if you could even call that cup of diabetes waiting to happen coffee._ "Sorry" he said "they didn't have the salt stuff for you salted caramel frapo-whatever-the-hell"

Cindy rolled her eyes with a smile "That's fine. What did you get?"

Chris proudly brought a large dark muffin out of its bag, holding it with a look of triumph in his eyes. "A chocolate muffin with bits of red chilies in it"

"Ugh" Cindy openly displayed her disgust at the rather questionable looking breakfast item. Chris simply smiled and eyed it greedily, then opened his mouth wide. "Before you do that" she said, stopping him in his tracks "could we head to the school. I want to be there early for the first day of class."

"Geez, fine" grumpily he put the muffin back in the brown paper bag "I'll get to you later" he whispered into the bag. Chris and Cindy walked down the street a bit to get to Chris' car, a burnt orange 2006 Nissan Eclipse. They both got in and began speeding down the narrow death city roads towards the DWMA.

.

A group of maids chased what appeared to be a shadow jumping from wall to wall in the main hall way of the Escot Manor. "Young master, please" one of the maids would say between haggard breaths. A butler walked down a side hallway that eventually joined the main hall way where all the commotion was taking place. He wore a very traditional outfit that was very fitting for his occupation, as did all the maids and help of the manor. He held in his hand a tray covered by an oval lid.

As he entered the mail hallway, he called out to the young man still leaping around, dodging the fervent grasps of the maids and even some of the kitchen staff who had been called to help. "Would the young master care for some produce flavored confection?" he pulled away the lid of the tray to reveal a small red bag with some of the round, S marked candies, already rolling across the trey. The boy instantly bolted to stand in front of the butler. Now that he wasn't moving it was easy to see that he was clad in nothing more than white pants and a fully fastened white straight jacket. He had long dark hair hung messily down to his shoulders. The butler picked up one of the candies and gave it a slight toss into the air, landing it directly into the young man's mouth, who chewed it excitedly.

"Now!" one of the maids screamed as they all simultaneously tackled the boy to the ground. One had already begun brushing his teeth, another was feverishly combing his hair, and two more had managed to scrub off his feet despite all the flailing and uncooperative behavior. The rest tried their best to hold him down as long as they could. Once the task was done he was let up. He shook, as if trying to dislodge the entire experience, undoing much of the work that had been put into the grooming of his hair.

"Now then, young master Escot" the butler spoke up once again. "Are you ready to depart for your studies" The boy looked the butler directly in the eye and then looked off to the side and seemed to have a very contemplative expression on his face.

"My bologna has a first name it O-S-C-"

"I think that's as close to a yes as you're going to get." One of the cooks interjected.

"Yes I suppose so" the butler sighed as he walked towards to front of the mansion, the young master in tow, still singing.

.

The boy walked slowly up the steps of the Death Weapon Meister Academe, backpack over his shoulder, laptop in one hand, high powered sniper rifle in the other. Had it been any other school in the world this would have surely caused quite the stir. However this was the DWMA, and snipers on campus wasn't far from the norm. "This is stupid" the boy exclaimed. "You're so damn heavy."

"That's the point" A feminine voice echoed out from the gun. "AND I AM NOT HEAVY!" she yelled, her head jutting out from the front of the scope. She had super short russet hair that stuck out like a series of cowlicks, soft grey eyes, and gentle features. Her head swiftly withdrew into the scope "Besides, you need the exercise. Meisters are supposed to be physically fit and the pamphlet says the steps of the DWMA are there for the purpose of building strong legs and endurance in its students."

"Are you trying to say I'm not fit? I'm thin aren't I?" he huffed out as he continued to trudge up the steps.

"Joe, there's a difference between being fit and being thin. And you are evidence of that difference."

"Jewels you can be such a pain sometimes."

"That's my job" she smiled to herself.

"It's so hot" Joe moaned. "I'm just gonna go naked."

"WHAAAAA!" Juliann exclaimed. "You better not!" she yelled as Joe began pulling at his grey and orange hoodie with the number 42 on it with one hand and tugging at his red skinny jeans with the other. Juliann quickly transformed to human form. She was tall, fit and toned, quite light skinned, and wore short black track shorts, a tight white and teal shirt, matching running shoes, and black knee and elbow guards, as well a right side protective shoulder guard. She rapidly hooked her fingers through the belt loops in his pants and pulled up, essentially giving him an off the ground wedgie.

"AHHHHH! Holy crap giga-boobs. That hurts."

"Don't make fun of my boobs jerk face."

"Learn your own strength then. And jerk face? Really? Are you 12?"

"Oh shut up twerp." She said, finally lowering him gently to the ground.

"Gahhh, how am I supposed to go up these stairs after an experience like that?"

.

Many of the students at the front entrance of the DWMA stared as the tall brunette was spotted carrying a black haired boy bridal style with a laptop in his arms up the final steps of the front stairway.

"Thanks Jewels" Joseph said with a smile.

"Yeah, don't get used to it" she said in a sour tone

.

Heads turned and conversations teetered off among the many groups of guys huddled around in the locker lined hallway of the DWMA. But the Swedish bombshell of a girl seemed to be completely oblivious to it all, and simply continued to saunter gracefully down the hall, her yellow sundress teasingly flaring up and down as she did. She had only been in the DWMA a few days for orientation but had already caught the eye of many a young lad there, despite having a less than moderate chest. She did however, have an evident beauty about her. Her sleek frame, tall build, and sense of style made her quite the sight to behold.

Up the hall and on the left, two boys were exchanging heated words and looks.

"Why don't you just back off already?" Said the taller of the two in a gruff and aggressive manner. He had lightly tanned skin and wore a black V neck with a green hoody and rolled up sleeves, faded blue jeans, and DWMA standard issue military boots. His hair was black, wavy, and untidy, and a pair of aviator goggles hung around his neck.

"I certainly would if she showed any signs that she wanted me to." The other boy retorted in a calmer and sure tone with a smile. He was a good 4 inches shorter and appeared to be a polar opposite of the first boy. He was African American with a neat buzz cut, wore a black hooded jacket with dark blue shirt, jeans and white sneakers. His frame was also slim where the others was much wider.

Their conversation was interrupted as the bouncy blonde came up, her big light gray eyes beaming brightly. "Hello sirs. Conners sir" nodding to the dark taller Caucasian boy, "Anderson sir." Looking to the shorter African American boy, "What are you talking about?" she said in a bubbly disposition.

"Hey, Lise (LEE-say). It was nothing really." Conners said.

"Miss. Sheridan." Anderson said nodding in acknowledgement. "You know you don't have be so formal. You can call us by our first names."

Lise put her index finger to her chin and seemed to be considering this proposal. "Very well, Cody sir and Luke sir." The boys looked at each other with a moment of confusion followed by acceptance.

Luke spoke up "Lise, just Carver. Just call me Carver."

"As you wish, Carver sir"

Carver threw a hand over his eyes and exhaled whispering "Hopeless"

"Anyways" Cody chimed in "it's about time that we head to class. They don't let many teams transfer right into the E.A.T. class. We should set a good example."

"God Cody, you're such a stick in the mud"

"Carver sir, behave" Lise playfully chopped Carver on the head, then took both the boys, arm in arm, and strode off towards their classroom, garnering many a jealous looks from the other boys in the hall, and painting a snide grin on the face of both Carver and Cody.

.

Stein Slowly made his way from the archways into the center portion of the death room, where Lord Death and Sid were already awaiting his arrival.

"Ah, Stein, Good." Lord Death said waving a hello. "I've asked you both here to discuss one of our new students."

"The witch?" Sid asked.

"Yes. As you know we have had witches as students in the DWMA in the past. However, the power that Miss. Delmira Blasa possesses is much more volatile than we have previously dealt with in house. Extra care and precautions will need to be taken. And I'm to understand that our very own Landen Soul has become her partner."

"That's correct" Stein spoke up "She moved into the guest room of his residence just yesterday and I asked him to keep an eye on her for the time being."

"Good, as her partner he'd be perfectly suited to watch over her. He is one of our finest 3 star students."

"Very true Lord Death. I haven't seen anyone with that kind of potential since, well since you Stein"

"Oh please Sid, you'll make me blush" Stein said with a grin.

"Stein, I'm also to understand that you'll be implementing a divided learning setup for the 1st year E.A.T class."

"That's correct Lord Death. My usual T.A.'s will be too tied up with they're new partners, so they will instead take over teaching the first years under my minor guidance, allowing me to devote more time to my other classes and finding suitable replacement T.A.'s."

"Very well Stein. Sounds like a suitable plan, I trust your judgment after all. It seems you'll have to be off. Class is set to begin soon." Stein check his watch and nodded, then turned and promptly left the death room. Sid began to turn and leave as well.

"Sid."

"Yes sir?"

"If Stein is too close to this to think clearly, not that he is. I just want to know what you think. Do you believe Landen is prepared to handle something like this?"

"We have, all of us, known him. Watched him grow into the young man he is now. A part of each of us is in him." Sid turned away and what might have appeared to be a grin spread across the tight undead's face. "I can't think of anyone better."

"What about his history with the witches?"

"Ah, that. That's what's troubling you."

"Indeed."

"Well then perhaps this is just the healing experience he needs."

"Hmmmmm. . ."

.

"Everyone please take your seats. Class will begin shortly." Landen stood near the front desk and looked up at the semicircle of stadium seats where his class presided. _My class, what a weird experience. _There were 8 students, 9 including himself. They all seemed to be conducting themselves rather well too. One dark haired boy had his feet up on a bench. Landen caught his eye and then pointed to the ground. The boy brought his feet down. Landen knew Stein wouldn't appreciate or stand for such a thing. A click clack sound echoed from the hallway. Landen took a step back and shortly thereafter Stein came sliding in on his back, still seated in his rolling chair after it had hit the bottom door lip. Stein stood up, dusted himself off then sat backwards on the chair again, twisting the screw in his head as he did.

"Hello class. I am Professor Stein. This is my teaching assistant Landen Soul. He's a 2nd year 3 star Weapon and will be teaching this class under my guidance as part of his scholarly duties. His grade will be based on your performance, so I'm sure you'll have nothing to worry about" Landen's eyes widened. He had not been informed that his grade was dependent on his classes' ability to advance. "He will be your home room instructor, combat teacher, resonance instructor, and for weapons he will be your Weapon Advancement teacher. Meisters in this class will take Technician Advancement with my other T.A., Era Maxwell. She'll be in room negative 327." Delmira had sat in the second row near a short haired brunette and her meister who appeared to be drooling while sleeping on his laptop cover. Delmira's heart sank to her feet at the thought that she would have to have that Era girl as an instructor. "Other than that I'd say the class is all yours Landed. Hahahaha don't fudge it up" Stein cackled and slapped Landen on the back hard propelling his rolling chair around in circles, out the door and careening down the hall.

"Now then, any questions before we begin?" Landen said clapping his hands together. Delmira raised her taped up hand. "Yes?"

"Who's that?" she said pointing to the doorway. In the doorway stood a boy, short and young looking with long messy black hair, but most notably a white straight jacket with an envelope pinned to the front. Landen advanced towards him and unpinned the note. As he did, the boy ran over and sat down one seat away from Mira.

Landen opened the note and quickly recognized Steins hand writing.

This is another one of your students. He's a special case. A meister whose family has a fair amount of power and money invested in the DWMA. He doesn't have a partner but will still be enrolled in this class despite that fact. His name is Zane Escot.

-S

P.S. He's a bit odd, doesn't say much, tread gently.

Landen set the note in his desk drawer. "Class, this is Zane Escot. Zane will also be joining our class."

Zane perked up upon hearing his name, then promptly began trying to bite his own ear.

"Ummmm, anyways, any other questions?"

Joseph seemed to spontaneously wake from his slumber "Is there wifi in here?" he blurted out.

"Uh, no." Landen replied. Joe looked disappointed then laid his head back onto his laptop case. Landen scanned the room. "Well I'd like to start today's class with team introductions. I'll go first. I my names Landen Soul, I'm a Boot/Gauntlet weapon and that is my partner Delmira Blasa."

"Why do you have a first year meister?" Carver spoke out.

"I was required to get a new one after splitting up with my old partner"

"Why did you split up?" Joe asked, awake again and evidently interested.

"Our soul resonance slipped too far causing an unfixable difference in wavelength. But that's enough about me. How about you?" He motioned to Joe "Go ahead and introduce your team"

"Uh, kay." Joe rose to his feet "I'm Joseph Lightman, you can call me JL or Joe, I'm a meister from Texas and this is my partner"

"Hi everyone, my names Juliann Tremblay, you can call me jewels, I'm from eastern Canada and I'm a sniper rifle weapon. Joe and I have been partners for a few weeks now" The well-endowed brunette sat back down with a smile.

"How about you next" Landen said making eye contact with the gray eyed blonde in the third row between two guys.

She stood up, "I'm Lise Sheridan, I'm from California, I'm a trident weapon, and these are my meisters Carver sir and Cody sir."

"Meisters" Landen said stressing the plural. "I've heard of a few instances. Interesting. Continue."

Cody stood up "Cody Anderson, Meister, and I'm from Louisianan."

Carver got up next "Carvers' the name, Meister, from Jersey."

Landen looked up at the last team "Last but not least"

"Chris Somata" Chris said, standing up "I'm a meister and actually grew up with my weapon partner"

"Hi, I'm Cindy Thomas, and I'm an Aztec style sword weapon."

"Great" Landen said to the whole room "Well then let's get to it. I have a feeling this is going to be an amazing class and an amazing year."

* * *

**OK, so there it is. The OC's are staring to come out and I'm really enjoying writing with them. It's also not too late if you want to send in OC's, there is still room in Era's class. Also please give me some feed back about your thoughts on the chapter lengths. I'm trying to keep them manageable, but i could easily make the chapters longer which would put more of the story out there at a time and probably quicker since I'm usually more inclined to keep writing if its a chapter I'm trying finish. Anyways would love to hear everyones thoughts on that and also what you think of the story so far. Thanks so much for reading everyone.**

**-T. **


	4. Class Begins & Dark Russian Nights

Hello hello, hello all. Another exciting chapter of Second Chances. As per requested, this chapter is substantially longer. I realize it's been a long time since i last posted a chapter, but my arm had healed so I've been busy with getting back to work. In case you were wondering, i do not own soul eater. Also the submissions for meisters and weapons is still open, but mostly I'm looking for characters to be on the side of evil. So if you have bad guy OC's feel free to send them in in whatever form you wish, but the more info, the better. All are welcome. weapons meisters, witches, prekeshins, assassins, whatever. Thanks to everyone who reads and review, it means a lot :). Also a huge thanks to SpunkyGirl6487 for all the amazing help she's been. Between plot help and character evaluations, this chapter wouldn't be as great as it is without her, so thanks a ton :) So with that, have fun and enjoy.

-Just a small town girl, liv'in in a lonely world-

The music blasted from the ear buds, plugged into Joe's laptop as he and the rest of the class stepped into the combat training room located on the third floor. The room was roughly 150 feet by 60 feet with a 20 foot high ceiling. All manner of wooden training weapons lined the walls as well as a few weight sets and various obstacles, cargo net ladders, ceiling ropes, and training dummies in the corner. The class shuffled along to the center of the room, and mulled around awaiting their teachers arrival.

"So what's your thought on our, quote, 'teacher'." Carver, the trident meister said to Zane, Chris and Cody.

The sword meister gave a soft shrug as did Cody. Zane however began itching behind his ear with his foot. The other three looked at the straight jacket strapped boy in amazement. "I don't know, Carver, he seems a little strict but definitely seems like he knows his stuff."

"Strict, ha, that's rich coming from you Cody." Carver sneered.

"Oh, shove off Carver."

.

Landen and Delmira walked down the empty hallway to the combat training room. Mira's head was low and Landen seemed to be studying something among a large manila file. About ten paces from the door Mira stopped, sensing her no longer next to him, Landen stopped also, but continued to stare down at the paper work.

"Listen" Delmira began "I know we didn't really get to talk last night or this morning about this whole situation, you know about me being a-"

"Hey," Landen stopped her, he turned to her and walked, closing the distance between them. He brought his hand up under her chin and lifted her face so her eyes met his "I asked you yesterday if I could trust you." He paused a moment, lowering his hand from her face. "And you said yes. That's all I need to know. If there's anything else you feel you need to tell me you can, but that's all I'll ever really need to know."

Mira smiled "You're a good partner Landen"

Landen smiled as well "That's just what I was taught being a partner was all about. Don't worry, we can talk more after school, but for now . . . class is waiting."

Mira smiled and followed right next to him as they both walked into the classroom.

Landen waved Mira on to stand with the other students. "Welcome class, to your very first combat training class" Landen spoke in a loud commanding tone, as if he were talking to a much larger group. "This class is specifically designed to prepare you for in the field fights. As such, I will be far less lenient then with your other classes. What you learn here will mean the difference between life and death in the real world. And not just your life, but your partner's as well. And that is why I will be demanding your best every day in here. Do I make myself clear!?"

A low mumble of "yes" came from all the students.

"Yes Sir!" Landen said loudly "Do I make myself clear!?"

"Yes Sir" the class responded with much more resolve.

"Good" Landen smiled. "Now then, who would like to be the first?" Landen gestured to the middle of the training room. Chris quickly grabbed Cindy's hand and headed toward the center sparring area.

"We'd like to go first if that's alright."

"Fine with me." Landen said, approaching the racks of training weapons. "Chris the sword meister, correct?"

"That's correct." Cindy said with a smile. Landen withdrew from the rack a long kendo shinai, then made his way to the ring.

Both Chris and Landen bowed. "At your ready." Landen announced "I'd also like the rest of the class to pay close attention to ever sparring match. It may not be your particular fighting style but there is always something to be learned if you are open to it."

"Cindy" at his command Cindy leapt into the air and transformed into a dark green Aztec style sword with a black handle and teeth and intricate black tribal markings running up the middle of the sword. Chris seized her in his hand, holding her outstretched towards Landen. Landen lifted his shinai, to cross swords with the sword and meister pair. The moment the two swords touched was followed by three loud cracks as the two weapons met and bounced off each other, after the third crack, Chris held Cindy a few mere inches from Landen's neck.

"Your skill is very obvious Mr. Somata, but don't forget yourself in your own confidence." Landen flicked his wrist, giving a soft tap against Chris' sword hand with the shinai. "If that had been a real sword you might have been permanently disarmed and Mrs. Thomas here would be hard pressed to fight on her own."

Chris huffed and stepped back, moving the Aztec sword from Landen's neck. Still looking rather upset Chris paced back ten steps from Landen, then began swinging Cindy in a fluid centrifugal motion. "Let's see what you think of this teach." Chris stopped with Cindy held horizontally, the teeth of her blade facing away from him "VIPER STRIKE!" The teeth shot out from the blade towards Landen at blinding speed. A hasty sidestep placed Landen in an open spot in the trajectory of the teeth. They buried deep in the wall behind Landen, and the air around them suddenly seemed to strain. Chris was propelled straight at Landen who managed to drop to his back, allowing Chris to fly straight over him. Landen sprang back up and turned to face Chris.

"Haha, that's what I'm talking about" Landen said with great enthusiasm, "using your weapon to anchor somewhere then reel you in for increased speed and maneuverability with your wavelength like a piece of rope. Very nicely done Chris. And Cindy of course, too." Chris smiled and Cindy transformed back and gave a slight bow. Landen gestured back to the spectating class and Chris and Cindy loped back to them, a pep in their steps. They were met with a few high fives from the guys and encouraging words from the other girls. "Chris, I believe you know Professor Sid? He is particularly adept at bladed combat, more adept than I, that's for sure" Chris looked over quietly from among the rest of the class. Landen continued "I think you would enjoy some of his training sessions. Shall I set something up for you?"

"I would appreciate that." Chris said with a smile.

"Very well. Now then, next?" The room went quiet as everyone except Chris and Cindy exchanged nervous glances. "How about the triple threat. Carver, Cody, Lise. Would you please join me in the sparring area?"

"Ehh" Lise nodded and dragged Carver and Cody by the hand to stand in front of Landen.

"I'll go first" Carver said stepping in front of Cody, "Lise!" Cody seemed to bight his lip and glare harshly at the back of Carvers head.

"Yes Sir" Lise's body shone bright and the twisted towards Carvers open hands. The long golden trident materialized and dropped lightly into his hands. A dark large sapphire sat at the tip of each tine and an intricate aqua marine colored flower design adorned the top and bottom section of the trident. Carver twisted his wrists and spun Lise rapidly and effortlessly in his hands.

"This is what I bring to the party." Carver said smugly and charged towards Landen, as he did he spun Lise at his side. Water began to form around her. As he stopped spinning the trident the water gushed forward, taking on a life of its own, flowing like an invisible river towards Landen. It crashed to his left then leapt at him as he bounced and dived out of the way. As it followed again, Carver reversed the spin of the trident, "FREEZE POINT" all the water froze and the end closest to Landen burst out in an icicle spear, parting the air to the left of Landen's stomach. Landen seized this moment to push off the nearby wall he'd been backed towards, jumping in the air and gliding along the newly formed ice as his feet met it. The river of ice led directly back to Carver, whose eyes widened as he realized Landen was now hurdling towards him. Using the ice as a raceway, a solid boot landed in Carvers chest, tumbling him back head over heels and knocking Lise, still in weapon form, into the air.

But Cody had been ready and waiting for this, who flew into the air to gracefully snatched Lise up, and rolled across from Landen. Cody began spinning the trident in the same manner as Carver. The ice immediately turned back to water, and slowly began to complete a large circle around both Landen and Cody. The other students looked on in wonder at the spectacular water display. Cody, stopped rotating the trident and the water ceased to move, and simply hung precariously in the air. Landen's eyes darted around as the water continued to simply be suspended in the area around him. Cody brought the bottom of the trident to the ground with a loud bang, "Vapor Point". The water all around gave off a loud hiss and expanded into steam, clouding the whole area. "Welcome to my domain" Cody said, seeming to gain confidence from the steam. Nothing could be seen. Only the light sound of feet sliding along the floor, a sudden "Oof" and the sound of flesh connecting with flesh.

Cody came sliding out of the mist on his back, clutching his jaw in his hand. A bright light shone within the cloud and then it and the steam vanished leaving only Lise standing in the center of it, with Landen just to her side.

"Most impressive." Landen addressed Cody and Carver as they both still lay on the floor nursing their injuries. "You have quite the amazing weapon here," he waved his hand all about Lise as he paced around her. "Granting a control over not only water but water vapor and ice as well."

Landen's face seemed to darken as the shadow of his hat covered his face, "stop wasting her time" he said with a menacingly deep voice directed at the two boys. "You need to learn to work together as a team, not to fight for control." He was almost yelling now. "If you can't make it past your own petty rivalries you'll be taken down by the first opponent you face in the real world! And the consequence won't be a lecture, it could be the death of this girl!" He pointed one finger to Lise who squirmed under all the attention being directed her way. "Now why don't you think on that for a while? And then tell me if whatever differences you have are really so important." Both the boys hung their heads and made no attempt to look up. "You'll need to learn fast that this isn't some game where you can just try until you get it right. This is real and real people get hurt." Landen's voice had become much softer now. "And the ones you rely on closest are your partners and comrades." Landen reached out a hand to both Carver and Cody. As they grabbed it, he pulled them up and said "So be someone we can rely on." Landen smiled at them both. They each nodded to say they understood.

Landen motioned for the three to return to the group. They did and Landen addressed the last team, "Joseph, would you kindly bring yourself and your weapon here." Joe obliged, setting his laptop down and walked over to the sparring area with Juliann. When they were within a few feet Landen addressed them. "Now being a Sniper meister, is not very practical to have you demonstrate your skill here. So for the sake of it I'm going to assume you're a pretty crack shot."

"That would be an understatement" Juliann said.

"Good. However, here at DWMA, we produce well rounded students. And for you that means having a close combat game. Do you subscribe to any particular form of hand to hand combat?"

"Well" Joe scratched at his neck nervously. "about that. I kinda haven't gotten around to doing any actually hand to hand training."

Landen pursed his lips and lowered his brows. "So no hand to hand combat training is what you're telling me?" He said in astonishment and irritation.

"Uh, yeah. I guess I just never really saw the need for it with a weapon like Jewels."

"Right, of course." Landen frowned and shook his head. "And I suppose your effectiveness with Mrs. Tremblay is limited to about 100 feet at the least. So anything within that would be too hard to hit?" Joe nodded while staring at the ceiling. "Okay, let's try this from another angle. Juliann, can you do any partial transformation?"

"Umm no, I can't." Now it was Juliann's turn to try and avoid Landen's gaze.

"Well how about weapon form modification? This actually plays more into Weapon Advancement class that you'll have with me next period, but it'll be best suited now, while Joe is still here" Landen dropped down to sit on the ground in a cross legged position. "Please join me down here" he said to Juliann, "you too Joe. Sit a few feet behind Juliann" They both sat down in their spots in front of their teacher in the same cross legged position. "Now Juliann, position your hands here" Landen held up his own hands, palm out towards her.

"Umm, okay." She reached out and touched her open palms to his. A few snickers could be heard from the cluster of students a few paces away.

"Now, close your eyes and think only of how your weapon form looks, but make a conscience effort not to transform. Remember to breath" Juliann let out a long breath she had been holding. "Focus on every aspect of its form. The stock. The magazine. The bolt. The scope. The barrel" Landen paused. "Now focus on the barrel. Thing about its length. Now cut it in half and think about that length. Cut it in half again. Now again. It should only be a few inches long now. Think of that short barrel on your weapon form. Can you see it?" Juliann nodded lightly. "Good, now think about the stock. What would your weapon form look like without it? Can you see it?" Juliann nodded again. "Good, now put the short barrel you imagined on with no stock. Good. Now breathe in and out deeply and just focus on that image for a while." Juliann's large chest rose and fell with each breath. After a moment Landen spoke again. "Okay, now we're going to try transforming into that, do you think you can do that?" Juliann shook her head no. "That's okay, let's just try. We'll count from ten. Ten . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . ." Landen suddenly pushed against Juliann's hands with tremendous force yelling extremely loud as he did "RAAAAAAA!"

Juliann toppled back with a bright flash of light towards Joe's arms. Joe reached out and grabbed her in weapon form and looked down in astonishment to find that her stock was missing and her barrel drastically shortened. "Jewels, Jewels. You did it. Look at you. You look like some sort of amazing super bulky hand gun or submachine gun." Joe stood up and held Juliann out, aiming at various targets around the room.

Landen spoke up "Haha, looks like it worked perfectly. But Joe be careful of the recoi-"

BANG!

Juliann's new weapon form went off as Joe squeezed the trigger while aiming at a punching bag. But the recoil proved too much without a stock and Jewels came back, the scope bashing hard into Joe's face.

After a jump from the noise, the whole class began to laugh as Joe clutched his face in pain. "Jesus Jewels" he mumbled through a bloody nose "What did you do that for?"

"Me? That was you. What did you think would happen without a stock to move the recoil to your shoulder stupid?"

"I'm not stupid, I thought I could control you."

"Well you thought wrong." Juliann shot back. Their exchange evoked even more laughter among the group and even Landen let out a chuckle under his breath.

"Okay, Joe. Get yourself cleaned up. You'll need some practice before you can control Juliann in this form" Juliann flashed and transformed back to human form, and quickly scooped Joe up in her arms bridal style.

"I'm going to take him to the nurse to get his nose patched."

"Yes, good. You're excused" Landen said waving them away.

"Come on you big dummy" Juliann said as she carried Joe out the door.

"Thanks Jewels. And I am not a dummy."

"Recent actions seem to say differently" Their bickering voices faded out as they moved down the hall.

"Now then, Zane, let's see your moves." Landen addressed him as Zane held an open sports drink bottle in one foot over his head and waterfalled it into his mouth. Zane quickly set his drink down and screwed the cap back on with his toes. He paced over to Landen, stopping a few feet before him. Zane did a wide stanced dance back and forth, causing his pants to pull up higher on his hips, then squatted down a bit and nodded to Landen, signaling his ready. "Well all right then." Landen said bringing his arms up to a battle ready stance.

Zane leaped at Landen, twisting in the air. Three kicks bounced of Landen's guarding forearms. Another high kick sailed right by Landen's face as he leaned back. Landen threw a few quick jabs and was impressed as Zane bobbed and weaved to avoid all of them. Zane then went back on the offensive, planting his left foot he used his right to throw a barrage of kicks at Landen's head, chest and gut level. But Landen's quick reflexes stopped them all from landing, brushing them away with open handed slaps and elbows. Zane was biting his lip in frustration. He swiftly dropped to the ground and rolled forward, putting him directly at Landen's feet. Zane's legs shot out and both twisted around Landen's left leg. Landen winced as Zane hooked his ankles together and began constricting around Landen's leg. Landen pushed hard off the ground with his right leg and leaned forward. Flipping in the air, he brought his leg over his head with Zane still attached, and would have driven him hard into the floor had the raven haired boy not let go and been sent flying towards the side wall. Zane's feet touched the wall gingerly as his legs bent to a squatting position, absorbing all the shock. He instantly pushed off and shot towards Landen, head tucked and ready to drive his shoulder into him. Landen threw his bare foot up and it caught the impact of Zane's shoulder tackle and bent his leg to bring a controlled stop to his attack. Landen gave a soft push with his leg, pushing Zane back and landing him a few feet away. An audible growl could be heard coming from Zane's throat. Zane sprinted at Landen again, then dropped on his side, sliding at Landen feet first. A small hop avoided Zane's leg sweep. He began to spin around on the ground, throwing his feet out in random strikes like a breakdancer. Landen continued to block his attacks with raised legs and fast hand swats. Abruptly Zane stopped spinning and leaned back on his shoulder blades, with a small buck of his hips he was able to jump to his feet, then jumped straight at Landen with his feet to either side of him. Zane's legs wrapped around Landen's stomach and hooked behind his back. Landen crossed his arms over Zane's chest to push him back as he forcefully leaned his face toward Landen's. The two had stopped moving, their foreheads almost touching, Zane was bearing his teeth and breathing heavily. He then flashed a smile and yelled out.

"BONKA!" (

"Bonka?" Landen said back confused, but it was too late, Zane had already backed up and then thrust his head forward, bashing his skull against Landen's. Landen reeled back and Zane let go and dropped to his feet as he did. "God, what is up with people head butting me lately?"

Zane's eyes were on Landen, boring into him. Landen looked up to him, "It was a very good fight Zane." Upon hearing this, Zane's entire demeanor changed and a bouncy smile returned to his face. Landen rubbed his forehead, then stood up straight and advanced to Zane. At his side Zane began to nestle against Landen's chest. Landen looked down in a mixture of shock and disgust. Then Zane began snapping his teeth at Landen's leather jacket. "What?" Landen asked.

"Nibbles" Zane could be heard saying in between chomping teeth.

Landen reached to his coats breast pocket and pulled out a chocolate chip granola bar. "Is this what you're after?" Zane nodded eagerly, his tongue lulling out of his mouth. "Okay" Landen said, stripping the wrapper from the treat and breaking it in half. He threw one piece in his mouth and tossing the other into the air towards Zane. Zane bobbed his head to the side and caught it in his mouth and began munching down on it. He then looked up at Landen and smiled, bits of granola and chocolate chip in his toothy grin, then turned and shuffled quietly towards to group.

"Okay" Landen spoke out to them all "Today was an overall good first class, I was very impressed with all of your talents. And I'd like to encourage you all to talk to each other for these last few minutes and discuss attacking techniques you saw and how you could adopt that in some way to improve yourself. That is the key to this class and what I'll be hoping to see in all of you. Adaptability. I can't stress this enough. The ability to adapt quickly is what will keep you alive. Consider when Zane came at me with that shoulder tackle. Seeing how well he was able to absorb the energy from me throwing him against the wall by using his legs, I was able to see that and apply the same technique to absorb the power from his tackle. Being able to adapt to the needs of a situation is crucial. And the more you adapt, the better you'll be prepared for any situation. Okay, so any questions."

"What about her" it was Chris who had spoken up "We all fought, except her."

"Mrs. Blasa and I have already sparred."

"Well, I'm just saying, we all showed what we're bringing to the table. I think we should see what she's capable of."

Landen glared at Chris "You mean because she's a witch?"

"Well, it's just that-"

"It's fine Landen" Mira spoke up. "I don't mind giving them a bit of a show." Delmira advanced forward towards the middle of the room. She looked towards the group of her fellow students and Landen, "You might want to step back for this." The class backed towards the side wall while Landen advanced toward Delmira, then walked past her to stand just a few feet behind her and to the side. She looked over her shoulder at him, "This is gonna get kind of dangerous."

Landen locked eyes with her and gave a soft smile "I trust you." Mira turned back forward, hanging her head down a bit, then smiled to herself, _He is such a goof._ She breathed out and brought her hands together.

"Jerrow sparrow, jerrow sparrow" she quickly kneeled and brought her hands down to the ground, Three purple and black bird shaped orbs shot out along the ground like comets and tracked towards three punching bags, lined up along the far wall. They reached them and exploded in a fraction of a second, sending them soaring into the air. Mira brought her left hand to her right hip, then threw out three dagger shaped black and purple bolts that had materialized in her hand. They each struck a different bag in the air and exploded on contact, blasting the bags in half and sending their smoldering remains all about the room. The student's faces looked on in amazement. She kneeled again and sent another orb towards a weight rack on the far wall. The orb seemed to creep under the rack and wait behind it. Mira crossed her arms over her chest, then threw them down to her side. "Gigajoule Strike!" she yelled and the purple and black dotted orbs surrounded her hand. She looked back at Landen and smiled, "Let's see if it was right to trust me." She held her arms up and then a snap of her fingers caused the orb behind the weight rack to explode. All manner of dumbbells and circular barbell weights came hurdling towards her. As they reached her, she threw punch after punch, connecting with each weight and giving off a small explosion as it did, sending the weights flying off away from her. Right hook, Left hook, right cross, left jab, left jab, right uppercut. Punch after punch sent weights flying to all corners of the room, all within a few milliseconds. The students ducked as a few dumbbells rocketed towards them. Landen stood perfectly still as a circular 25 pound weight glanced off Mira's fist, barely tapping the bill of his hat. Smoke swirled around her as she finished her barrage of attacks. As it cleared, steam wisped off her knuckles. She knelt down once more, another much larger orb this time shot out and ran towards one of two large 200 pound manhole cover shaped iron barbell weights. The explosion sent it at her at blinding speed. Mira pulled her hand back, "Kiloton Punch", she plunged her fist forward, covered in the explosive magic, striking the weight dead on the outer rim. An enormous eruption expounded from her fist and the enormous weight was instantly redirected in the direction it came at double the speed. It struck the other 200 pound Barbell weight at its center, snapping it in half like a thin wafer and crashed through the wall behind it leaving a cloud of pulverized sheet rock and wood behind it.

Landen grimaced a little pulling his lips back, "That's going to come out of my pay."

Delmira turned around to face him, brought up her hand and blew off the smoke rising from it. "What can I say? I'm not a cheap date." Landen chuckled a little as Mira smiled. She turned to step towards the rest of the class, but her leg gave out, nearly dropping her to the ground.

Landen quickly grabbed her and held her up from the side, "I got you." He steadied her back on her feet. "Might have overdone it a touch."

She smiled, "Girls gotta make her point." Her face twisted into a frown. "They're all gonna hate me now huh? And just because I'm a witch. It's not like I asked to be born this way you know."

"I know" Landen said pursing his lips.

"MIRA!" Juliann's voice echoed into the room from the doorway. She came running at Mira, full sprint, leaving Joe, bandages wrapped all the way around his head, leaning against the door frame.

"That was so cool!" she shouted as she leapt in the air, arms stretched out to embrace Mira. The flying hug knocked her to the ground. By the time she had wrestled out of Jewel's hug, the whole class had surrounded her.

"Definitely Cool." Carver said.

"Tactically awesome." Cody smiled giving a thumbs up.

"Yeah, what you can do is amazing" Cindy said, placing a hand on her shoulder as she stood up.

Zane bounded straight up in front of her. "Bonka" and quickly gave her a solid head-butt to her forehead.

"Ugh, thanks Zane" She said, rubbing her forehead. Zane simply cocked his head and smiled. The rest of the class laughed and laughed.

Landen had an arm around her and drew her in close to whisper in her ear. "It seems they don't care who you were born to be, just who you are." Mira turned her head and smiled as she looked in his eyes, then looked around at all the faces beaming at her, this feels like where I should be, this feels like family, this feels like home.

.

"Class this is Chris Somata, Luke Connors, Cody Anderson, Joseph Lightman, Zane Escot, and Delmira Blasa." She seemed to merely spit out the last name. "These are meisters like yourselves from Landen Souls class. And this is your Technician Advancement class. New students, I'll be your instructor for this class, Era Maxwell." During her introduction, Zane had begun inching his way towards her and as she spoke was barely a foot away from her. Era stopped, glaring down at him with a puzzled and off put look. Zane leaned in close and began sniffing, quite loudly, the air around Era. She turned her head away from him, watching him with a sideways glance, and leaned away slightly. Zane stopped sniffing and paused for a moment, then looked into Era's eyes, cocked his head and smiled, his tongue lulling out of his mouth. Era cautiously gave Zane a slight and awkward pat on the head, "Go on now." Zane then swiftly hopped up, shouting as he did "Bonka." Their foreheads connected for a moment then Era recoiled in pain and Zane quickly skittered back to the group, squirming in between Mira and Joe.

"Good boy Zane." Mira whispered to him with a grin.

"What the hell was that!?" Era yelled out.

"It means he likes you." Cody answered.

"Oh, well lucky me." Era said sarcastically. "Alright, take your pet psycho and all of you get in your seats." Era scowled and rubbed her head as she turned and approached the black board. The group took their seats among the other meisters from Era's class. Mira sat down next to a Japanese looking girl with long straight black hair and a very fair completion and a large white bow in her hair.

"Hi, I'm Mira, and you are?" Mira introduced herself quietly as Zane sat down noisily next to her.

"Ummm, I-I, I'm ummm" The girl stammered as her eyes fell upon Delmira's chest. _Why does every girl here have bigger boobs then I do?_ The girl quickly looked up to Mira's face. "I'm Sora Nakahara."

"Haha, well nice to meet you. I'm a gauntlet meister, my partner is Landen Soul."

"What? Like the teacher of the other class? 3 Star demon weapon Landen "The Carnage" Soul? That's so cool. What is he like, I don't have him for any of my classes."

"He's a little strict but once you get to know him he's a little more laid back, and really nice." Mira said with a smile, "What about you, what kind of meister are you and who's your weapon?"

"Oh Im a-"

"Quiet class!" Era yelled out as she began writing on the blackboard.

"Talk more later." Sora whispered. Mira smiled and nodded, then looked forward.

"Now then, the first topic we'll be discussing in this class will be soul perception. Now how many of you are able to achieve soul perception?" All ten of the student's raised their hands, Zane raised his foot. "Good, looks like you're not in the first year E.A.T. class for nothing. Now just seeing an opponent's soul can tell you a lot about them. Pre-kishin, kishin, monster, human, witch. As a matter of fact, I believe we have a witch with us in class so this will make for an excellent demonstration." Era smiled snidely. "Ah, she's using her soul protect though. Class please observe little Mrs. Blasa." The entire class pivoted to look at Mira, except Zane who was enthusiastically chewing on the edge of his desk. Sora looked at her with a bit of surprise on her face. "See how her soul appears as merely a normal human soul. Quite the convincing facade. Now Mrs. Blasa if you wouldn't mind letting down your soul protect so we can all see the true you." Era's voice seemed to be eluding to something that Delmira just couldn't figure out. Like she was talking down to her or something. Delmira shook off the feeling and then crossed her arms across her chest, then threw them to her side, setting her soul free. The students could all see her soft purple soul contort, grow larger and jagged. Her soul undulated like a series or implosions followed by explosions, over and over again.

"There you go class, a true witch's soul. See how's it's larger and more grotesque than a normal human soul." Mira glared at the instructor after her backhanded comment. Era simply smiled back and continued. "Their large souls and magical abilities make witches some of the most formidable opponents." Era sneered again, "Well most of the time anyways" she said pacing around the class room and turning her back to Delmira. Delmira blew air out her nose in a huff. Sora switched her gaze from Mira to Era and then back again, looking a little perplexed, feeling a bit of the tension between the two. Mira reactivated her soul protect and sat down. "Now witches have developed the soul protect technique naturally to try and avoid detection by DWMA. In what would seem to be natures retaliation, some skilled weapons and meisters have developed an advanced soul perception that allows them to detect witches even through soul protect. Studies have shown that throughout history, the battle between meisters and witches has given rise to many new abilities out of necessity. Take for example your teacher" Era gestured to the students in Landen's class. "He developed an advanced form of soul protect that, rather than disguising the soul as something different, simply causes it to be completely invisible. This is the first recorded case of a person, human or witch that is able to do this. Witches are naturally better at soul perception than humans which means they tend to rely on it more, we know this for a fact. But this new skill has rendered this natural inclination useless. Think of how great a weapon against the witches this is." Mira ground her teeth together and glared at her teacher. A hand was held high. "Yes, Mrs. Tenshi"

An Asian girl with her light brown hair pulling in a ponytail through the back of her baseball cap piped up. "How did Professor S. develop this technique?" Era frowned and crossed her arms behind her back, pacing at the front of the room again.

"It was an ability born from life and death conditions. I don't presume to know exactly how any of these abilities came to be. But I believe, because the need was so great, he developed it through sheer will. The first conditions were during soul resonance but he has since mastered using it on his own" Era's frown sunk a little deeper. "If you wish to know more, there are case studies available to you one star meisters that can be checked out from the library." Era sank into the seat behind her desk that faced the students.

"That should be enough of the basics to get you started. For now, turn to chapter 3 in History of Meister Adaptation and study until class is over." The whole class pulled out their text book, opened it and began reading. Era threw her feet up on her desk, and blew her hair out of her face as she stared up at the ceiling. It seems like that was so long ago. She thought, unconsciously rubbing a hand over her midriff. We hadn't been partners very long but we'd know each other 5 years already. I remember after that was when I started to see him differently. He was no longer just the old friend I'd known since I was a kid. Era's mind continued to wander on about the events of that day and everything that changed because of it. The bell suddenly rang, jolting Era out of her daydream. "Alright, your assignment tonight is to finish chapter 3 and write me 1000 words on the key importances of soul perception. You're excused." The whole class shuffled out, and Era suddenly found herself alone.

Out in the hall Sora caught Mira by the hand. "Hey you!" she smiled and Delmira smiled back. Sora continued to walk down the hallway with Delmira and the others from her class.

"Hi" Mira replied.

"So what was up with you and Professor Maxwell? I thought you guys were gonna start brawling right there in the middle of class."

"Obviously she harbors resentment towards Delmira for being Landen's new partner" Cody said matter of fact-ly.

"Camels camels camels" Zane said enthusiastically while nodding his head at what Cody had said.

"Haha, see even Zane agrees." Carver said. "At least I think that's what that means."

"Hey Lise" Cody said splitting off from the group to head off in a different direction with Lise and Carver hot on his heels.

Hmmmm, well at least my boobs are a little bigger than hers Sora thought to herself as she gazed upon the Swedish beauty, ugh, she's super pretty though, probably makes up for the small boobs, Sora frowned and turned up her nose away from the three as they scampered off.

"Cindy, over here" Chris shouted over the crowd as he spotted his weapon. Cindy smiled and pointed off to the direction Chris had parked that morning. He nodded and bustled through the crowd to meet up with her.

Zane, Mira, Sora, and Joe continued towards their homeroom. "You think that's why she doesn't seem to like you" Sora asked.

"I guess" Mira shrugged "What else could it be?"

"Yeah, I suppose. So tell me more about Landen and what he's like."

"Haha, I haven't known him that long. We only became partners yesterday, but you'll be able to meet him when we get to homeroom. Unless you have to meet up with your own weapon to head home?"

"Oh no, I'll find him later. And I'm still in the girl's dorm, we haven't even thought about getting a place together. Wait, do you live in his house with him?"

"Yeah, I thought that was more popular around here?"

"Well yeah but it's more of the students who go out on missions and get better pay so they can afford to move out of the dorms."

"Oh I didn't realize that. He never mentioned anything about me paying rent. I'll have to talk to him about that."

- Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done -

The music blared from the headphones as Joe slipped them off and slumped into Juliann's arms, who had just come from the direction of the homeroom. "Jewels, this place is killing me. There's no internet anywhere. It's like living in the stone age."

"Haha you're such a drama queen" Juliann smiled as she rubbed her meisters head roughly with her knuckles. "Come on internet addict. We'll get you hooked back into the matrix back at home." Jewels said playfully.

"Hey Juliann, is Landen still in the class room?" Mira asked as the pair was about to turn and leave.

"Yeah sweets. He's waiting for you." Jewels said with a bouncy smile. Sora was glaring directly at Juliann's boobs, awe struck and not even trying to hide it. Luckily Juliann was paying her no mind. Not fair, not fair, not fair, Sora chanted in her mind.

"Thanks" Delmira replied with a smile. Zane, Sora and Mira hurried along to the class room. "Hey there." Mira said as she entered and spotted him.

"Hi" he said with a smile. Zane leapt towards Landen and began running circles around him, snapping his jaws open and closed. Landen looked at the boy and smiled. "I don't have anymore." Zane grumpily slid to a stop, then jumped high into the air towards the door and landed his butt on the top portion of the door that was still ajar. Landen shook his head and then looked back to the two girls. "Who's your new friend?" Landen gestured to the half Japanese half white girl.

"Hi, I'm Sora" she said with a smile, "It's so nice to meet you. I've heard all about you and some of the stuff that happened last year."

"Oh, well thanks, it's nice to meet you too."

"I just wanted to say a quick 'hi'. I have to go meet up with my partner."

"Haha, well okay. Was nice talking to you for a few seconds." Landen chuckled at the girl's strange behavior.

"Mira, we'll get together for coffee or something some time yeah?"

"Definitely." She said with a smile, giving her a small hug goodbye. Sora quickly bounced out of the room. Pulling the door closed behind her, which abruptly knocked Zane off his perch. Mira giggled as she watched Zane inspect the doorknob, trying to find the cause of what had dethroned him from his mighty seat. "So are you ready to head out?" Mira asked.

"Yeah, let's get going, I'm starving" He pushed the drawer of his desk closed and made his way for the door. The three walked down the now mostly empty hall towards the front parking lot. Upon arriving, Zane was hailed by his butler and ushered to get into the large black Rolls Royce. Zane quickly leaned over to Mira and pressed his chest against hers and put his head over her shoulder drawing her into a hug.

"Awww, thanks Zane. Have a goodnight" She smiled to him. Zane then rapidly opened and closed his mouth, driving his chin into the muscle between Mira's shoulder and neck. Delmira burst out laughing at the tickling feeling. Zane quickly jumped back and sneered. "You little shit" Mira laughed a little more and threw a halfhearted kick in Zane's direction as he ran off to his ride. Landen had already walked over to his car and unlocked Mira's side and now stood with the door open for her. "Thanks" she said, sliding into the dark metallic blue, hard top, 1972 Chevy Corvette. Landen made his way to the other side and hopped in. The engine roared to life and they were off, racing through the death city streets.

.

"Mmmmm, this is delicious!" Landen exclaimed, bringing another bite to his mouth.

"Haha, it's Alaskan salmon with a lemon sugar caramelized glaze and some other herbs and a slow baked tomato slice on top cooked with garlic and seasoning."

"Well it's amazing, I've never eaten anything this good. Not even in a restaurant."

"Aww, stop." Mira's smile widened.

"You said before you wanted to share rent with me, but I know as a one star you won't be making much till you get some more experience. What about doing the cooking instead of rent?"

"That sounds reasonable. I'll make sure to make something good for all three meals."

"Well if the other stuff you cook is as good as this then I'm getting quite the deal" Landen smiled and ran his finger through the left over sauce on the plate, then licked it off. Mira was leaning over the breakfast bar that made up one side of the kitchen and Landen sat on the other side of it, his back to the living room. "Mmmm. So, how did you like your first day as a DWMA student?"

Mira thought it over quickly. "It was pretty good. Of course I have a good teacher, so that helps" she smiled at him and he back at her, then a frown came across her face, "Well one of them is good at least."

Landen gave a half frown. "Era giving you a hard time?"

"Eh, kinda I guess. She just seems so hostile. I mean I didn't do anything to her."

"Yeah, sorry about that she can be really . . . headstrong."

"Most people just call it being a bitch" Mira mumbled under her breath.

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing. Hey speaking of Era though, she said you can fully conceal your soul?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised you hadn't noticed before. I usually keep my soul conceal up, just as a way of training it every day. I let it out while I sleep though, haven't mastered keeping it hidden while unconscious."

"Yeah, ever since I got here it's been so hectic and I've completely forgotten all about actually stopping to have a look at everyone's soul. But uh, Era was also saying about when you first learned to use soul conceal, that it was like a life or death thing, or something" Landen nodded yes as he circled around into the kitchen and set the tea pot on the stove to boil. "And that you were in soul resonance when it happened, so does that mean it was when you and her were still partners and going on missions"

"Uh yeah . . ."

Mira looked to her feet. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up something you don't want to talk about."

"That's alright, we all have our pasts don't we?"

Mira quietly nodded. _This is heading in the wrong direction fast_, Landen though. "Hey have you seen the view out the balcony, it's amazing at this time." Landen smiled and gestured towards the west side of the apartment. Mira walked over to the large bay window with him. Landen opened the window and hopped through it out onto the balcony, then turned and held out his had to Mira. She took it and sat on the sill then brought her legs through and stood next to him, leaned against the railing and overlooked the city from their place 7 stories up.

"Oh wow, it's beautiful." Mira said, her eyes gleaming. Landen smiled as he gazed out on the city and the flat desert that lay beyond it. The sun had sunk below the horizon but its color still radiated out on the sky, starting with a deep blood red, then fading into orange and pink and eventually to a brilliant purple that extended across the sky over their heads. "This place is amazing. I never want to forget it." Mira's cheeks pulled up into a smile and she winced.

"What's wrong" Landen asked.

Mira smiled a little softer this time, her hand against her cheek. "My face is sore from smiling so much today." Landen laughed out load. "I really don't want to forget this." She said with another soft smile.

_What happened in your past_ Landen thought to himself?

"Let's take a picture." Mira leaned back into the window and pulled a camera out of her bag. She flicked it on and set a timer. She gently set it on the window sill facing out and turned back to look Landen in the eyes "Ten seconds." Landen smiled and set his hands on the railing, and leaned against it, looking out on the city and breathtaking sunset. Mira did the same. As she watched the beautiful colors of the sky she spoke. "Thanks Landen."

"For what?"

Mira looked out ahead of her and smiled, "For everything" Landen smiled at her then looked out to the city. The camera beeped, and Mira reached her hand up to wipe the moister that swelled and gleamed just under her eye.

Mira reached back and grabbed the camera to look at the screen. Their silhouettes were dark against the majestic sunset and Mira smiled as she looked at the picture. Landen turned to look at her "So, if I may, why did you want to come to the DWMA?"

Mira smiled as she looked down and then brought her head up to hold Landen's eyes in her own. "My mother."

"Oh she was a meister too?"

"HA! Not a chance. No she never believed in my abilities as a meister, and so I'm going to show her." Landen's facial expression changed to that of a bit of surprise "She said something to me once, I don't think she meant it as a challenge but that's how I saw it. And I will prove her wrong, if it's the last thing I do." Mira's deep purple eyes seemed to swirl with passion.

"So did she know you were a witch?" Mira grew very quiet. "I'm sorr-"

"It's okay, you should know sooner or later." The kettle began to scream in the kitchen. Landen hustled through the window and into the kitchen and pulled the pot off the stove. He looked over to see Mira making her way back inside. Landen poured the water into two cups, then brought them over to the living room, handing Mira one as she sat cross legged on the couch. He sat beside her, setting his own cup on the coffee table.

"Thanks" Mira said, cupping her hands around her tea. "My mother was a witch. Witches are always born of witches. She did lots of horrible stuff, as do most witches. And for years she groomed me to work alongside her. But after seeing all the suffering she brought to the world, I just couldn't. I had to get away. I confronted her and told her this had to stop, but she said that could never happen. That this is what witches were meant to do. Why we were given this power, to rule the world. She was obsessed." Mira's breaths had grown haggard and tears could be seen ready to break the dam just under her eyes. "So I ran away. But I already knew too much, and she sent her minions and other witches after me. I knew I wasn't going to make it far on my own. So I made my way to the DWMA as soon as I could and the timing was just right to enroll right away. I figured it'd be the safest place for me and would have people who shared my dream of putting a stop to the witches. It was just so frightening being all on my own out there with half the witching world after me." A single tear fell down her cheek. A soft brush of skin on skin wiped it up. Landen held the tear at the end of his finger.

He looked at her sitting quietly, "You don't have to worry about going this alone. You have friends and teachers her and all of them are with you." Landen smiled and put a hand on her shoulder "And most of all you have me. Your partner is always there for you in whatever you need."

"Thank you Landen" Mira leaned towards him and moved her arms under his and behind his back, pushing herself close into his chest. Landen cautiously put his arm around her back and ran a hand over the back of her hair. Mira sniffled slightly and then looked up at him, her eyes still welling with tears. "Promise me?" she asked "Promise me we'll stop her?"

Landen smiled down at his meister, "If that's what you want most in your heart, then I'll do everything to help to achieve it."

Mira buried her face back into his chest and squeezed a little tighter "Thanks Landen" she muffled into his shirt.

-**ROUGHLY ONE YEAR AGO**-

The tar black smoke advanced slowly across the blue midnight sky and the metallic clangs of machines could be heard echoing from the dilapidated warehouses, like the dying cries of an animal. The snow under Landen's boots made a soft crunching noise as he shifted his weight to take another drag from his cigarette. The tip of the cigarette was a faded star in a galaxy of darkness that was the night time Russian industrial district. Landen's eyes narrowed and a deep red soul came into focus within one of the brick warehouses. "He's definitely in there." Landen said, blowing out a puff of smoke that floated off on the breeze.

Era stared down with cold eyes at the ware house. "Alexander Bychkov, the Belinsky cannibal*." She rubbed her mittened hands together. The night had been cold as expected but the fur coat and boots, and traditional Russian ushanka hat had kept her quite warm, but she now regretted opting for the cute matching fur skirt instead of pants.

"Yes" Landen said, putting his cigarette out on the soul of his boot. "Guy's a real piece of work. Multiple homicides and eating of the bodies. Always targets drunks. This guy preys on the weak. Shouldn't be too much trouble."

"Still we should advance with caution."

"Eh, where's the fun in that?" The two had been on a building next to the ware house but that stood 5 stories higher. Landen took Era by the hand and swiftly leaned over the edge, pulling her with him. Before she could realize it, they were both hurdling towards the roof of the warehouse. Landen had an almost maniacal grin on his face. A few seconds from impact Landen gave off a bright flash of light and transformed onto Era as his deep blue metal gauntlets and boots. Era held her fists, covered in her weapon, forward and dived straight through the roof and through two more levels of the warehouse before flipping and landing feet first on the cement ground-floor.

"That was not funny" she said angrily to the metal fists adorning her hands and running all the way up and ending in a sharp point past her elbow.

"Haha, it was a little funny" Landen's voice echoed from the weapon. The gauntlets were huge, the size of basket balls and only slightly less big around along the forearm. The dark blue layered metal shined in the dull light of the florescent tubes that hung high in the ceiling.

"Who iz zare" A heavy Russian accent echoed down from the hole in the second story floor that had been made upon their entrance. The man was young with a wide jaw and thin chin and a black beanie pulled down past his ears. He wore a black coat and black pants, and in his hand, a blood stained kitchen knife.

"Alexander, I presume. We have come to claim your soul." Era shouted up at him.

"Oh yeah, you and vut army?"

"We don't need an army, we are the army." Landen's voice echoed up at him.

"Ah, you ave a demon veapon, eh little girl? It'll take more zan zat to kill me."

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

"Yes, and so ve shall." Alexander said, hanging by his hand through the whole and then dropping the thirty feet to the bottom floor.

"Be careful Era, this guy may not look it but, those human souls he's been eating have boosted his power exponentially" Landen whispered to her through their weapon/meister mental link. Alexander began to walk slowly towards the two, holding the knife back handed in front of him, a wild grin painted across his face. With a sudden burst of speed he darted forward and then to the right, putting him almost instantly on their left flank. "He's fast."

"But we're faster" Era said out load. As he came at them, violently waving his knife, Era reached out and grabbed his knife wielding wrist in one hand and his throat in the other. "See he's not so difficult." Era scoffed, holding him arm's length away.

"Era watch out" but he had already dropped the knife and swung his feet forward, catching it between his boots and stabbed it into her gut. Era dropped him immediately and he staggered back a bit, regaining his breath, while she dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach. "Damn it Era, that was sloppy." Landen yelled through their mental link.

"I know" she yelled back, "Don't worry, he won't get me again."

"Can you still fight?"

"Yeah, it wasn't that bad."

"We should use soul resonance, keep you from taking any more hits."

"Okay, agreed."

In unison they shouted "Let's go, Soul Resonance." Their souls reached out to each other, grabbing ahold, and eventually came together as one. The metal of the boots and gauntlets extended out and formed an entire suit of armor. Sleek with large shoulders and spikes protruding from the knees, shoulders and elbows.

Era stood tall now, and struck a battle ready pose.

"Zis should be interesting." The Belinsky cannibal smiled even wider.

Era charged straight at him, throwing a heavy right punch that connected and sent him flying into a large wooden support column.

"Haha, better do better zan zat."

Era ran at Alexander and threw a flying knee into his stomach, breaking the wood column behind him. He bent over in pain and as he did Era threw her arm around his neck and leaned back, bringing him over her head and suplexing him into the cold concrete floor.

"Ugh" Era let out, along with a cough of blood.

"Careful with attacks like that" Landen said through their link, "you'll make your wound even worse."

"Yeah, I see that now" Era frowned and got up. "Come on you." She said, grabbing Alexander by the ankle. She dragged him towards another wooden support column, then swung him, by the ankle at it. His body hit and bent around it slightly. Era grabbed his hand as it came around the other side of the post. She now held him by both ends of his body with the column between him and her. "Now Alexander Bychkov, for your crimes against humanity, I, as an enforcer of Lord Death's will, hereby punish you for your transgressions." Era placed her booted foot on the column and pushed off of it, bending Alexander's spine backwards until she heard a load snap. The body suddenly went slack and she let go, letting it flop to the ground. Landen transformed and era dropped a few feet to the ground from losing the added height from Landen's weapon form. She grasped her gut which had already made her fur coat become matted and red with blood. Landen dropped down to her eagerly and lifted her coat to inspect her wound.

"It's not too deep, looks like the leather of the coat provided at least some protection, but we should get you patched up, it's still bleeding pretty good."

Loud snapping sounds began echoing through the warehouse and as Landen and Era looked over, they saw in horror that Alexander's body had begun jerking back into proper alignment.

He stood up and rubbed his neck "Gee zanks for ze adjustment, my back feelz all better now." His lunatic smile came over his face once again.

"Landen" Era yelled. Landen quickly transformed back into weapon form. "Speed form this time"

"Okay" Landen said, and his gauntly and boot form morphed and became much skinnier and sleeker. Taking a form more like metal elbow length gloves than gauntlets.

"You have an idea?" Landen asked across their mental link.

"Yeah" Era confidently replied back. Era bent down and gathered a few small pieces of the brick roof they had crashed through.

"HAHA" Alexander laughed "Sticks and stones my dear, sticks and stones" mocking what Era was now holding.

She grinned at him. They're not for you. She cocked her arm back and threw a couple at the long tubular lights hanging above Alexander and the other lights along the wall.

The lights broke and the tubes came falling down at him. He quickly rolled out of the way of the falling glass which shattered upon impact with the ground. "Zat von't vork" he said cockily.

"Again, not trying to hit you with those" Era yelled from across the room. As he had rolled she had dashed under the other lights, which broke and caught the jagged tubes that dropped. She hurled two at him, then another two.

Rolling to miss the first two, he was caught off guard by the second set and threw his arm up to protect himself. The tubes buried themselves into the flesh of his arm. During that time, Era had dashed at him again and leaped into the air, then drove a foot into the two tubes protruding from Alexander's arm. They dug in deeper and broke apart. Alexander cried out in agony. "You filthy betch!" he yelled.

"Part two." Era scooped up a few other pieces of debris on the run and chucked it at the remaining lights. They broke and went out. Leaving the warehouse a dark beyond black. Nothing was visible.

"Let's go Soul Resonance." The two shouted and Era was covered by Landen's suit of armor again.

"Good," she said mentally to Landen "I can sense his soul better when we're in resonance." Era scanned the blackness and then caught sight of the unmistakable pre-keshi soul. As Era began to make her way towards him, she stopped as he shouted out.

"I vouldn't do zat if I ver you." He yelled out. "You are not ze only vone here who can see souls." Era could then see his soul advancing towards her. "I vas taught it by somevone very special." As Era watched his soul, it suddenly turned into a blurred line and was soon right at her side. "Vould you like to know who taught me?"

Era jumped in surprise and fear. Striking out with a kick that made contact with Alex's side and she saw his soul slide a short ways along the room. Era eyed the soul carefully, but its quick movement was too much and was suddenly right in front of her again. "Maybe if I tell you, you vill leave me alone." Alexander thrusted his fist against the metal armor that covered Era's wound and sent her flying towards a far wall.

Era coughed up more blood onto the ground. "He's too fast to track with soul perception, even with soul resonance." She spoke to Landen.

"Or maybe, I vill just kill you and eat you like ze rest" Alexander laughed. The soul turned to a red blur again and struck Era from the right side. And then the left, and then the right again. Era got up, coughing out more blood. She quickly tried to run along the walls and then leapt up to where they had first broken through the building, but a hand grabbed her leg as she dove through the air "I don't zink so." and dragged her back down, flinging her hard into the floor below. Then Alexander dropped down on top of her driving his elbow into her back as he did. The blood flowed from her mouth in even larger amounts now.

"Era no." Landen cried out to her.

She quickly brought her knee up, driving the spikes into Alexander's back, who howled in pain and jumped off. Era rolled back and staggered up and away from Alexander's soul.

"This is bad, this is really bad. I don't know how much more of this I can take" she told Landen.

"I know, I'm doing all I can to block the damage but it's still hurting your wound." Landen closed his eyes in frustration, and suddenly saw Professor Stein. He was back with Stein in the classroom. It was the day before what would be his and Era's first mission nearly a six months ago. Stein pulled Landen in, under his shoulder. 'Now you listen, you do whatever it takes to protect her, you remember?' Stein said to him. 'I remember' Landen had said 'I'll go to any lengths to keep her safe' 'good, that's what I like to hear. Now good luck on your first mission'. The vision faded from Landen's head. _I know what to do_ Landen thought, "Era, when I say, be ready to strike" he whispered to her.

"Okay, but how?"

"Just be ready"

"Vat are you planning little girl. Nothing vill get you out of zis." Alexander mocked. Landen couldn't hear him though. He was concentrating too hard. "Vat part of you should I eat first I vonder? Your liver perhaps?"

Landen let out a long breath and could feel his soul wavelength slow down and bring Era's with it.

"Vat!? Vat!? Vat is Vis?"

"Now Era, strike him from behind" Era moved swiftly.

"Vere have you gone. Your soul can't just disapp-"

His words were cut short when Era's sleek armored hand pierced the base of his back and traveled up through his chest cavity to form a grip around his heart.

"But, but, but how?" Alexander barely choked out.

"Say goodbye Alexander."

Landen smiled, "Goodbye Alexander" he said.

"No vait. Vat about your parents Landen?"

"What?!" Landen yelled out. "Era wait. You know something about my parents."

"Landen, this could be some kind of trap."

"But I have to know Era. What do you know about my parents?"

"We are under direct orders to kill him as soon as we get the chance, and I'm not letting this slip through out fingers."

"Who do you think taught me to see souls?"

"What?" Landen's eyes widened. "My parents taught you to see souls?"

"HAHA, No boy, don't be stupid, your parents didn't teach me . . ." his voice faded out. "The voman who killed them taught me. Uhhhh!" Alexander's breath suddenly cut off and his body began to unravel. Soon, all that remained was Era's armored hand clutching a red pre-kishin soul.

Landen transformed back and fell to his knees. He beat his fists against the ground as if trying to beat life back into the soul that floated lightly in his meisters hand. A single wet mark appeared on the grown, a dark splotch on the light grey of the floor. "Lan-" Just as Era began to speak his name he rose and took her under the shoulder. The two hobbled together towards the front entrance to the warehouse. Era didn't dare to say a word. They had parked a few streets down and as they reached the car, Landen opened to door for Era, buckled her in and began the drive to the hospital in complete silence.

.

Landen paced in the waiting room, wearing a groove of scuff marks into the floor. His head perked up as an older man in green scrubs walked up the hall. He had very short grey hair and gold rimmed glasses. He nodded to Landen, who moved into the hallway to speak with him.

"She's doing well. We were able to stop the bleeding and close the wound. She had lost a lot of blood, more than should be humanly allowable. We had to give her six units of blood and she's working on her seventh**."

"So can I see her?" Landen asked feverishly.

"She's stable and conscious. But I need to ask you some questions in a situation like this."

"Huh?" The doctor had grabbed his arm as he tried to head towards Era's room.

"Was this some kind of domestic dispute. If I have any reason to suspect this, I can't let you see her." Landen's height already made him tower over the man but he menacingly bared down onto him, making the doctor shrink back.

"Does that answer your question?" Landen said angrily, holding his coat open to expose his official DWMA PKTF (Pre-Keshin Task Force) Badge. The doctor took one look at the badge and then sunk down even further.

"Oh, I'm so sorry sir. Go right on ahead." Landen closed he coat in a huff and hastily made his way down the hall.

Era sat up in the stale smelling hospital bed, pushing around the last bits of lemon jello around the bowl. The wound in her stomach had been sutured and bandaged up and bandages had also been placed over her breasts for modesties sake since the hospital had been short on clean gowns to put her in. Landen silently strode into the room. She looked at him with her head still down but his eyes did not meet hers. The soft scrape of a wooden chair along the linoleum was the only sound in the room as Landen brought it over to take a seat beside her bed. His head remained turned away, still unable to bear the sight of her. Era knew why Landen had yet to look at her and the thought stung her eyes like fire. She could feel her stomach tighten and a heat rise up in her chest as her heart beat faster, but her breath was steady and noiseless, afraid the sound of air over her lips might break this reality that was as fragile as a scrap of paper a thousand years old.

The moment of loudness came when instinct made her sniffle as the tears came close to falling. That small sniff broke the delicate dam of silence.

"How could you!?" Landen yelled. "The only person we've ever encountered who could have come close to giving answers!" Landen shouted the words at the floor, still refusing to raise his head and gaze upon her more than likely tear soaked face. "Do you know what it's like!? Do you!? To not know! To have it pulled away from you!" Era threw her right hand over her eyes, her chest aching at trying to rise and take in oxygen. The weight of her actions keeping her from drawing in breaths.

"I'm-" she began.

"I can't not know Era!" Hearing him speak her name, plunged her heart deeper than she imagined it could go. "Why would you do that!? When there was so much at stake! He was the clue I've been searching for! And now! Now he's a floating ball of soul essence, and not doing anybody a damn bit of good!" The top of Era's chest dressing absorbed drop after drop that slid down her mute face.

"This can't be happening!" Landen roared has he bashed his fist against the arms of the chair, sending wide cracks through the wood. "I just can't believe that this would happen!" Era knew in her heart, in her soul that Landen wanted nothing more than closure for what had been done to him and his family. Knowing she had caused this made her wish that her heart would simply cease to beat and she could be free of her mistake. She wanted to simply push hard enough on the earth to turn back time and stop herself from following the orders to kill Alexander so blindly. She withdrew her hand from her face and stared through muddled eyes at her weapon, hunched over with inner pain next to her. To think that she had brought him to this was too much for her to stand.

Landen suddenly stood, startling Era as she watched his face, still hidden deep in the shadows of his hat. "How am I even supposed to react to something like this!? I can't feel anything but betrayed!" Landen finally brought his face up to look into the overflowing eyes of his meister. "How do you expect me to ever-"

His angry cries simply ceased to be, as he looked down somberly at the bandage adorning her that had begun to show small red splotches where residual blood from the sewing had seeped through.

How had he been so blinded?

As the tears continued to cascade down her face he reached out and touched the bare skin of her stomach just above her bandaged wound.

Era could barely make out Landen's face through the tears and she sniffed and coughed as she spoke "I know you never want to see me agai-"

"Era" his voice was soft on her ears. Like a comforting blanket after a harsh cold day of misery.

"Era," he spoke her name again "I'm the greatest fool there ever was."

She eagerly wiped at her eyes in confusion trying to discern what was happening. She must have been imagining it. It was a smile across his face. It couldn't be.

"I'm so glad you're safe." He spoke in a whisper, and leaned in close to press his chest against hers and lean his head against her own.

He pulled back and spoke to her softly, "This thing with my parents. Avenging them. It's of the greatest importance to me. . ." he trailed of for a moment "But you are more important than that." Now Era was the one smiling.

"Landen, I'm so sorry." She managed to barely squeak out.

"That's okay" he smiled even brighter at her. "What really matters is this." Landen took both of her hands in his and leaned in, barely a breath separated their faces. He held her right hand up to his chest, on top of his steadily beating heart. "You feel this heart beating?" Landen's eyes held hers like an embrace after a lifetime apart. "I promise, on my sacred bond as a weapon, that I will protect you as long as it beats, and even after it stops." He gingerly moved her left hand with his own to place it over her rapidly pounding heart. "The reason my heart beats, is this one."

Era's tears streaked down her face more intensely than they had all night. She could feel the warming of her soul as she looked into his eyes and the want to be even closer to him. She pulled at his hands bringing herself up to embrace him in her arms. She leaned her head against his and placed her lips softly on his ear "I promise Landen, we'll find the person that murdered your parents. I'll never stop."

Landen smiled and hugged his meister even tighter, _You are a true partner_ he thought to himself.

_I'll never hurt you again. _Era's thought rang out in her head. A solemn promise tied to the fiber of her being._ I'll make up for this. I'll forever be the one to make you happy._

Alright, lots happening so i expect big reviews ;). hope you all liked it and dont forget to submit your OC villians.

*An actual Russian Serial killer and self-admitted cannibal

**The human body contains roughly 8 to 10 units of blood. Unit of blood being 450ml, just under a pint.


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